Interviewpartner: Lars Ramcke
1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?
Lars:
We are rehearsing for the tour that will start in February, giving a lot of interviews, planning new merchandise, booking new shows for the rest of the year, setting up a new online store which you can reach through our facebook page and so on.... else everyone is very busy with his own works and projects. Jörg is running his Soundlodge Studio where we also did the drum recordings for the new album, Yenz is producing the new album of a german band called Gun Barrel and I am doing the mix for a french band called Elvenstorm at the moment in the Thunderhall Studio in Hamburg.
2.Recently you released a new album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical direction it has taken and also how does it differ from your past recordings?
Lars:
We just wanted to capture the spirit of our very early releases and combine it with the catchy stuff of the younger works. So it is raw and barbaric at one hand but melodic and ready to sing along with on the other hand as well. So of course you could compare it with every single album we have done so far, but that's not necessary as everything we have done so far is somehow included in this one... Maybe this is just our way of making something like a "Best-Of" album... but with new songs... haha!!
3.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the new release?
Lars:
This time there is no special overall concept about the lyrics like it was on "Northern Rage" or on the "Heathen Warrior" album. I just had to let it all out again why we all live Heavy Metal the way we do and what it means to us, if you want to put it shortly... But it was interesting, last time it took days and weeks and lots of books had to be read until I could finish the lyrics and this time everything just came out as if there was something in a prison cell waiting to just get one more chance again to finally break out... So the lyrics came just from the heart and are just pure Heavy Metal.
4.You have covered mythology themes with some of your lyrics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topics?
Lars:
Well it is just part of our own history in the northern part of Germany which once belonged to Denmark and which has the same viking history as the rest of Scandinavia. I also studied Scandinavistic and northern prehistoric archaeology for some years at the university, even though I took most of this education for the writing of lyrics... haha!!
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Stormwarrior'?
Lars:
I guess back then we just wanted to create the absolute "True Metal Bandname"... haha!! The meaning is to be understood in that way that we are all "warriors" as we fight day by day against prejudices, unacceptance, etc. which at some days seems like a "storm" coming over you in hard times. So if you want, the "Stormwarrior" is just the strong unbreakable proud side in all of us that appears in moments when you have no other choice than fighting for your life, whether it is in a mental or physical way.
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Lars:
One of the moments that were really unbelievable was the show with Kai Hansen at the Earthshaker festival 2005. It was an awesome 80ies atmosphere during the show. People were standing even before the door of the hall because it was so crowded and everyone was banging and screaming from the first to the last row... that show really had a very special magical feeling... so sad it wasn't recorded and filmed back then.
And of course touring the first time in Japan was just an completely overwhelming experience. It was just like waking up in a different world. Hopefully we can repeat this someday in the near future.
7.What are the touring plans for the new release?
Lars:
First we will start a tour with Majesty and Wisdom in February / March. Some further touring possibilities are discussed at the moment. There will as well be some more Festivals and headlining shows coming up.
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to the newer material by fans of metal?
Lars:
Most reviews speak of 8, 9 or even 10 of 10 points and it seems that nearly everyone likes it, except those of course who are not happy if they can't find anything to complain about. There are as well a lot of people naming it "the best Stormwarrior album to date". So I guess there must be something in that album that we did the right way...
9.According to the Metal Archives page, some of the band members also participate in other musical projects, can you tell us a little bit more about them?
Lars:
Alex is playing in Aeons Confer as well, that's a Death Metal band from Hamburg who just released a self-produced debut album recently. Jörg is playing in a band from Greece called Nightfall and Yenz is playing with the goth band Lacrimosa and plays guitar in an AC/DC Tributeband.
10.What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
Lars:
Since the people and more important we ourselves as well want Stormwarrior the way we sound I don't think it would be a good idea to make any big changes in our sound in the future. Of course we will continue and develop again next time but we just have to see how the songwriting turns out next time. I can't say that there is a certain plan how the next album will have to sound and look like. That will fall into place as soon as the songwriting process is up and running.
11.What are some bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer material and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Lars:
I still listen to the same kind of Heavy Metal as I did 15 years ago when I started with the band. Old school Heavy Metal & Speed Metal like the very early Helloween, Running Wild, the first 8 albums of Manowar, W.A.S.P., Exciter, Warrant, Savage Grace, Judas Priest, Demon, Metal Church, Overkill, Omen, OZ, Accept, etc... but also to stuff like Bathory, early Queen, Gary Moore, Pink Floyd, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Whitesnake... guess you get the picture... :-)
I cannot name any special influences on this album because it all comes together in the end while playing guitar and writing the songs...
12.Do you have any non musical interests?
Lars:
I read a lot of books about pre-christian cults, myths, ancient "religion", old sagas, northern mythology, scandinavian and germanic history... and I built up a quite good collection of books in the meantime including some very old original prints from the 19th century.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Lars:
Thanks for the interview and for your support!! We're looking forward to the tour and the festivals. See ye out there soon!!! Stay clean, stay Metal !!! \m/
1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?
Lars:
We are rehearsing for the tour that will start in February, giving a lot of interviews, planning new merchandise, booking new shows for the rest of the year, setting up a new online store which you can reach through our facebook page and so on.... else everyone is very busy with his own works and projects. Jörg is running his Soundlodge Studio where we also did the drum recordings for the new album, Yenz is producing the new album of a german band called Gun Barrel and I am doing the mix for a french band called Elvenstorm at the moment in the Thunderhall Studio in Hamburg.
2.Recently you released a new album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical direction it has taken and also how does it differ from your past recordings?
Lars:
We just wanted to capture the spirit of our very early releases and combine it with the catchy stuff of the younger works. So it is raw and barbaric at one hand but melodic and ready to sing along with on the other hand as well. So of course you could compare it with every single album we have done so far, but that's not necessary as everything we have done so far is somehow included in this one... Maybe this is just our way of making something like a "Best-Of" album... but with new songs... haha!!
3.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the new release?
Lars:
This time there is no special overall concept about the lyrics like it was on "Northern Rage" or on the "Heathen Warrior" album. I just had to let it all out again why we all live Heavy Metal the way we do and what it means to us, if you want to put it shortly... But it was interesting, last time it took days and weeks and lots of books had to be read until I could finish the lyrics and this time everything just came out as if there was something in a prison cell waiting to just get one more chance again to finally break out... So the lyrics came just from the heart and are just pure Heavy Metal.
4.You have covered mythology themes with some of your lyrics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topics?
Lars:
Well it is just part of our own history in the northern part of Germany which once belonged to Denmark and which has the same viking history as the rest of Scandinavia. I also studied Scandinavistic and northern prehistoric archaeology for some years at the university, even though I took most of this education for the writing of lyrics... haha!!
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Stormwarrior'?
Lars:
I guess back then we just wanted to create the absolute "True Metal Bandname"... haha!! The meaning is to be understood in that way that we are all "warriors" as we fight day by day against prejudices, unacceptance, etc. which at some days seems like a "storm" coming over you in hard times. So if you want, the "Stormwarrior" is just the strong unbreakable proud side in all of us that appears in moments when you have no other choice than fighting for your life, whether it is in a mental or physical way.
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Lars:
One of the moments that were really unbelievable was the show with Kai Hansen at the Earthshaker festival 2005. It was an awesome 80ies atmosphere during the show. People were standing even before the door of the hall because it was so crowded and everyone was banging and screaming from the first to the last row... that show really had a very special magical feeling... so sad it wasn't recorded and filmed back then.
And of course touring the first time in Japan was just an completely overwhelming experience. It was just like waking up in a different world. Hopefully we can repeat this someday in the near future.
7.What are the touring plans for the new release?
Lars:
First we will start a tour with Majesty and Wisdom in February / March. Some further touring possibilities are discussed at the moment. There will as well be some more Festivals and headlining shows coming up.
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to the newer material by fans of metal?
Lars:
Most reviews speak of 8, 9 or even 10 of 10 points and it seems that nearly everyone likes it, except those of course who are not happy if they can't find anything to complain about. There are as well a lot of people naming it "the best Stormwarrior album to date". So I guess there must be something in that album that we did the right way...
9.According to the Metal Archives page, some of the band members also participate in other musical projects, can you tell us a little bit more about them?
Lars:
Alex is playing in Aeons Confer as well, that's a Death Metal band from Hamburg who just released a self-produced debut album recently. Jörg is playing in a band from Greece called Nightfall and Yenz is playing with the goth band Lacrimosa and plays guitar in an AC/DC Tributeband.
10.What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
Lars:
Since the people and more important we ourselves as well want Stormwarrior the way we sound I don't think it would be a good idea to make any big changes in our sound in the future. Of course we will continue and develop again next time but we just have to see how the songwriting turns out next time. I can't say that there is a certain plan how the next album will have to sound and look like. That will fall into place as soon as the songwriting process is up and running.
11.What are some bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer material and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Lars:
I still listen to the same kind of Heavy Metal as I did 15 years ago when I started with the band. Old school Heavy Metal & Speed Metal like the very early Helloween, Running Wild, the first 8 albums of Manowar, W.A.S.P., Exciter, Warrant, Savage Grace, Judas Priest, Demon, Metal Church, Overkill, Omen, OZ, Accept, etc... but also to stuff like Bathory, early Queen, Gary Moore, Pink Floyd, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Whitesnake... guess you get the picture... :-)
I cannot name any special influences on this album because it all comes together in the end while playing guitar and writing the songs...
12.Do you have any non musical interests?
Lars:
I read a lot of books about pre-christian cults, myths, ancient "religion", old sagas, northern mythology, scandinavian and germanic history... and I built up a quite good collection of books in the meantime including some very old original prints from the 19th century.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Lars:
Thanks for the interview and for your support!! We're looking forward to the tour and the festivals. See ye out there soon!!! Stay clean, stay Metal !!! \m/
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